Ammonia emission evaluation from manure management

Abstract

Ammonia emissions are produced in all manure management cycle stages: in the livestock housing period as well as during grazing, while manure is stored and incorporated to the soil. For ammonia emission estimation from manure management in Latvia the methodology described in the EMEP-EEA guidebook 2016 is used. The research paper covers all common livestock groups as well as the major manure handling and storage technology solutions in Latvia. The ammonia emissions are overviewed according to the level of calculations (Tier 1 or Tier 2), as well as typical characteristics of small or intensive management farms. The outcome of ammonia emissions increased by 50 %, if Tier 2 method was used for determination of dairy cattle ammonia emissions compared to Tier 1, for laying hens this difference is 32 %. Conventional farming contributes less ammonia emissions for dairy cattle (52 %) and laying hens (44 %) compared to intensive farming in the context of Tier 2 calculation approach, if abating solution quantitative expressions are not taken into account. Substantial reduction potential (up to 64 % for dairy cattle) can be reached for ammonia emission, if manure is used as feedstock for biogas production as direct use of manure is subtracted from Tier 2 calculations and for this research comparison purposes calculated using Tier 1 level methodology. The emission created from biogas production is necessary to report in the waste sector according to the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP)p directive. Quantitative estimation of abating and preventing solutions for ammonia emissions at all levels of manure management according to the country specific conditions is important.